By Krista Browning
C & G Staff Writer

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Paralyzed from the waist down at age 4, Adam Rose, a Macomb Township resident and Eisenhower High School student, has spent his life since then pushing beyond his physical limitations.

Nearly four months after being diagnosed with leukemia in 1998, a rare neurotoxic reaction to chemotherapy permanently left him without the use of his legs.

But according to his father, Don Rose, Adam has maintained a positive outlook on life ever since. At the age of 8, Adam began handcycling, and by 12, he was competing in various races around the state.

Eight years ago, Adam, now 16, picked up a basketball and joined the Sterling Heights Challengers wheelchair basketball team.

“The first time Adam ever scored a basket was fantastic,” said Don. “That stands out the most. He was weak and small, and he could barely pick the ball up off the floor. He kept getting better, faster and stronger. Now he can go out there and palm a ball, and he’s fast up and down the court. He’s come a long way from the early days.”

The Challengers Junior Varsity team took first place at the 2007 National Championships. Adam said he and his fellow teammates hope to have a repeat performance at the 2010 National Championship April 7-11 in Denver, Colo.

“For a lot of kids, wheelchair basketball is their only outlet to compete,” said Don. “It is the only way for them to feel normal. They bond and jell as a team. It is really great to see.”

“Every year, I feel like I am getting better and better,” said Adam. Between handcycling and wheelchair basketball, he practices three hours a day.

Wheelchair basketball is an expensive sport, Don said. A customized basketball wheelchair costs about $2,000, and every tournament has a fee. Travel costs are high because there are only a few National Wheelchair Basketball Association teams in Michigan, and most of the basketball tournaments are held out of the state.

On March 10, a group of physical and occupational therapists from Beaumont Hospital’s Royal Oak and Troy campuses have planned a fundraiser to help the Challengers cover the costs needed to compete at the 2010 National Championship.

The hospital staffers will take on the Challengers in a wheelchair basketball game at 7 p.m. at Carleton Middle School, located at 8900 15 Mile Road in Sterling Heights.

“We want to raise awareness with the fundraiser,” said Don. “These kids fight as hard as any other team to practice and get better. When you have a disability, you can still participate and do things that are similar to what an able-bodied child can do.”

The Challengers are a nonprofit organization. Tickets will not be sold, but donations will be accepted at the door. Donations may also be made in Adam’s name; e-mail him at hotwheel sadam@yahoo.com for more information. All donations are tax-deductible, as the Challengers are a nonprofit organization.

Adam said his ultimate goal is to compete on the 2016 handcycling team at the Paralympics, but in the meantime he plans to continue to play basketball and compete in handcycling races.

“It is all about just having a good time and having fun,” he said.

You can reach Staff Writer Krista Browning at kbrowning@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1068.